Obama redraws Middle East policy

[depakid]

ON HIS third day in office, US President Barack Obama has dramatically shifted America's stance towards the Middle East conflict.

He has called on Israel to open its borders with Gaza to allow humanitarian aid and commerce to flow and said one of America's most talented negotiators would try to broker a more extensive peace in the troubled region.

<snip>

The most tangible evidence of the new approach was in Mr Obama's statements on Gaza, when he offered a more even-handed assessment of the problems underlying the conflict.

Under the former president, George Bush, America had been strongly supportive of the Israeli actions in Gaza and had blamed Hamas for bringing suffering on its own people. The US was also a reluctant supporter of ceasefire negotiations.

Mr Obama said: "Just as the terror of rocket fire aimed at innocent Israelis is intolerable, so too is a future without hope for the Palestinians. I was deeply concerned by the loss of Palestinian and Israeli life in recent days, and by the substantial suffering and humanitarian needs in Gaza.

More: http://www.theage.com.au/world/obama-redraws-middle-eas...

[oberliner]

1. So glad that Obama is at the helm!

His approach, commitment, and intelligence all bode well for the dream of peace in the Middle East.

[depakid]

2. Agreed

Under Bush, neither party had much incentive to get back to the table and stop committing atrocities.

[madrchsod]

3. at least we know he`s not using crayons

[Douglas Carpenter]

4. there are positive signs, I think

could the U.S. being actually moving at least a little bit toward honesty? at least a little bit toward fair play? at least a little bit toward mutual respect? at least a little bit toward thinking in terms of mutual interest?

It does help a lot that President Obama is simply a globally minded person. He grew up in the global world. He appears to think in global terms. Sad to say it about the country in which I am a natural born citizen, but the United States in spite of being a global power of unprecedented proportions is in many ways, perhaps the most insular western society on earth in terms of public consciousness which unfortunately effects public policy. President Obama's own personal life is however utterly international, multi-cultural - to a scale not only way beyond any other American President in history, but perhaps way beyond any other world leader of today of any country.

As far as the Middle East is concerned, it is still too early to say. But there does appear to be some legitimate reasons to hope.

Besides, what good will dismissive pessimism accomplish? I will chose to hope that at least some change is happening as long as there is rational reason to hope.